Craebh Ciuil Grove
“Beloved, gaze in thine own heart, The holy tree is growing there;From joy the holy branches start,And all the trembling flowers they bear.”- The Two Trees, W. B. Yeats. Information and Purpose: Located in Larkspur Colorado just on the edge of the site where the Renaissance Festival is held, The Craebh Ciuil Grove is a site of a spiritual nature steeped in the Earth Based traditions. Established initially by a trio of Verbena it is not a place dedicated to any one coven or particular faction of Verbena but is instead a place where those of earth-based or shamanic inclinations can come and network and worship together. It is as such a place open to Hedgemages/Sorcerers, Verbena, Dreamspeakers, and Ecstatics or any who follow an earth based religion. The foundations of the grove are the thirteen sacred trees amidst Celtic and Norse mythology - the seeds and/or saplings of which were provided initially by Merlin Carpenter, but encouraged to grow through a bit in the realm of more magical means. An alternative to chantries, it is a location which is designed to grow over time through worship and exaltation. It is not a node. Ultimately the grove is meant to provide a safe and balanced environment for those of Earth-Based and Shamanic-Based traditions. Neither formal in structure nor unified in tradition, it is a place for witches and shamans to come and gather and exchange knowledge and celebrate their varied beliefs together. It is a sacred place not bound by walls but instead by spirituality and earth. There is a building alongside the grove that has been appropriated for the use by those who visit there. Dried herbs and other tools are kept here, in addition to a bed or two for those wishing to spend a few days at a time looking after the place. Logistics: In order to maintain use of the land a few arrangements have been made. Rowan Tuohy, previously a matriarch of one of the larger covens in the area, has organized a volunteer organization: Environment A.D. This organization in conjunction with some of the other Native American Social Groups in the area, volunteer by organizing work parties to focus on the land and buildings left up year round. Work parties involving the clearing of trash, maintenance of a natural landscape, maintenance of the buildings, et al facilitates the use of the land for other purposes. Native American Groups for instance may use the land during varying weekends for the purpose of teaching youth, sharing cultural information, and holding pow-wows. This takes place on the major part of the land, leaving those who utilize the Grove in an area no longer used by the Ren Faire or noticed as a whole, to come and go and peace. Contact: Rowan Tuohy, Lorian Veluchi Access to the Grove is gained through the meeting of one of these people or people they trust. "Thirteen sacred trees doth grow amidst the wilds there The roots and trees and branches grow with threads of silver strings Sun and Moon, Silver and Gold, God and Goddess celebrated there, Those who enter in with open hearts in joyful noise shall they share" - Meg Spradlin Category:Mage Category:Sorcerer/Psychic Category:Verbena Category:Setting Category:Chantry